Web browser for use with a television display for preventing screen burn

ABSTRACT

Screen burn on televisions having Internet browser capability is avoided by removing the conventional static icons such as toolbars and buttons from the default browser and replacing their functions with keyboard keys. The invention is especially useful in projection televisions and with keyboards which have keys assigned to browser functions. Favorite URLs can be mapped to a favorite key by holding down the favorite key while a favorite web page is displayed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Benefit of Provisional Patent Application 60/374,406 and 60/374,415,both filed Apr. 22, 2002, is claimed.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of television apparatus and methods,particularly television systems having integrated Internet browsers.

BACKGROUND ART

The problem of screen burn in displays such as cathode ray tubes is verywell known, as are the various screen saver solutions, which have becomewidely used, primarily in the field of computer monitors. In the fieldof television apparatus, screen savers are not generally used or neededbecause television broadcast video does not usually contain content thatis fixed for long periods. Plasma displays, which are especiallysusceptible to screen burn, are used in higher end television apparatus.

Television apparatus with integrated Internet browser capability havebecome commercially available, generally including a keyboard that usesinfrared signals to control the browser. The advantage of suchtelevision apparatus with integrated Internet browser capabilitycontrolled without the need for wiring by a keyboard is that the usercan toggle between television viewing and using the Internet, or do bothsimultaneously with a reduced-size browser window on one side and areduced-size video window on the other side. Projection televisionshaving the integrated Internet browser, which have recently becomeavailable, are particularly useful due to the larger screens availablewith such apparatus. When such television apparatus is used in thebrowser mode for extended periods, screen burn may occur due to thestatic nature of portions of typical Internet browser displays. Suchburn problem is more acute with respect to projection televisions thanwith conventional cathode ray tube television displays. It is an objectof the present invention to avoid screen burn due to prolonged displayof Internet browsers' menus (on-screen displays) on television displays,especially on projection television displays.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

This object, and others which will become apparent from the followingdisclosure and drawings, is addressed by the present invention whichcomprises in one aspect a web browser that does not display static iconsin a default mode of operation. Since the browser does not displaystatic icons, it significantly reduces the risks of screen burn whenused with a television display or other types of display.

The functions normally performed by the static icons are mapped to keyson a keyboard. These static icons perform functions such as favorites,home, back, forward, stop, refresh, close browser, search, address bar,and text size normally supported in a conventional browser. Thesefunctions can also be implemented using a pointing device, so that nostatic icons are displayed in the browser according to the principles ofthe invention.

Another aspect of the invention is a television apparatus having a webbrowser function comprising a display, means for receiving televisionsignals, means for accessing the Internet, a keyboard, and means toinvoke the browser on the display in a default mode wherein static iconsare not displayed.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of avoiding screen burn on adisplay screen of a television apparatus which includes a browserfunction comprising displaying a browser having no static icons on thedisplay screen and assigning mapping browser functions to the specialfunction keys on the keyboard.

Any type of display can be used in the television apparatus, for examplecathode ray tubes and projection televisions such as high definitiontelevision displays. The invention is especially useful in highdefinition apparatus, projection televisions, which are subject to suchscreen burn due to static images being displayed, and plasma displays.Although the exact amount of screen burn varies between different typesand models of television displays and depends on the length of time astatic image is displayed on the screen, and also varies according touser settings such as brightness and contrast, in general the highdefinition projection television type is the most prone to this problem.

It is preferred to provide a keyboard for invoking and operating thebrowser application, which is preferably built in to the televisionapparatus, although set top boxes can alternatively be used. Set topboxes can be used with normal definition and high definition sets, andwith analog as well as digital sets.

In addition to non-display of static browser icons, which are normallydisplayed in conventional browsers such as all versions of InternetExplorer and Netscape browsers, the television apparatus can beprogrammed to close the browser and display television programming aftera predetermined timeout interval. The timeout interval may be set at thefactory and in some embodiments can be defined or redefined by the user.For example, the factory set default idle timeout interval can be fiveminutes of non-activity during browser mode causing toggling to normaltelevision, with a user interface allowing resetting to higher or lowernumber of minutes of browser mode inactivity before switching to TVmode.

The television apparatus has software and hardware for connecting to theInternet and can include cable, DSL, satellite, or modem connectionsubsystems, for example. Wireless Internet connection systems arebecoming available for computers at the present time, and it is assumedthat such systems will also be adapted to television sets havingInternet capability, in which case the present invention would be veryuseful to prevent screen burn on the displays.

The functions of the static icons are replaced in the present inventionby any of a variety of software and hardware. For example, a remotecontrol device can be used to send a signal to the television apparatus,which causes the static icons to be temporarily displayed and selectedwhen appropriate. A preferred system is to map keyboard keys to browserfunctions that in the prior art required selection with a pointingdevice from static icons displayed in the browser interface. In someembodiments, special, dedicated keyboard keys are provided, for exampleseveral favorite keys which, when pressed in browser mode, cause thebrowser to call up one of the favorite URLs which correspond to afavorite web pages which have previously been programmed by the user orthe factory. In a preferred embodiment, eight dedicated favorite keysare provided, and with the use of key combinations with Control, Alt,and/or Shift, thirty-two or more Favorite web pages can be assigned andcalled up by the user with those eight Favorite keys. A preferred methodof assigning, or bookmarking, a web page is by an extended holding downof a favorite key while the web page is being displayed. For example, ifwww.my-favorite-bank.com is showing in the browser and the user holdsdown Favorite key #6 for 10 seconds, the previous web page assigned ormapped to Favorite key #6 will be replaced by www.my-favorite-bank.com.Upon subsequent pressing of Favorite key #6, www.my-favorite-bank.comthe system will attempt to open that web page.

Other dedicated keyboard keys can be Open, Close Browser, Close Window,Search, Previous Window, Next Window, Display Address Bar, Find Text,Text Size Increase, Text Size Decrease, Up, Down, Right, and/or Left,for example. In some embodiments, keyboard keys can have dual functions,one being the normal functions such as down arrow, and the second beinga special function to replace the down arrow of the vertical scroll bar.

The hardware employed to invoke the browser may be conventional, forexample a dedicated integrated circuit, for example a flash and MIPSintegrated circuit, which is the CPU of the television apparatus. Apreferred operating system includes WinCE software residing in theintegrated circuits on a digital module board, but modified according tothe invention versus conventional browser software to replace the staticicons. Although it is not necessary to include a pointing device, insome embodiments a mouse or other type pointing device will be included,for example the pointing device may be included with the keyboard, andthe keyboard can communicate with the main television apparatus byinfrared signals rather than with cable. The system has been designedsuch that the dedicated keys on the keyboard are uniquely identified andinterpreted by the application to invoke the same functionality thatwould be available through the application menus and/or tool bars.

Examples of this invention include the use of dedicated keyboard key tocause the browser to navigate to the default home page (a functiontypically provided by a graphical icon component in the tool bar);navigating to the previously displayed page (i.e., BACK) which istypically found as graphical icon on the browser's toolbar; invoking theFIND function (to find a specified text string on the currently loadedpage) which is commonly found as an menu item in the Edit menu.

As a result of removing the graphical user controls from the browserdisplay, the user cannot manually enter the address of the desired URLby moving the mouse to address bar typically included in the browsertoolbar. A preferred mode is to dedicate a key display the address bar,and immediately place focus on it such that the user can press thededicated “Address” key, and type in the desired URL. When completingthe address entry and pressing ENTER, the address bar is removed, andthe browser navigates to the specified URL. If the user invokes theaddress bar entry by pressing the Address key on the keyboard, but doesnot enter a complete URL (indicated by pressing ENTER), the bar willtimeout and be automatically removed after 15 seconds. This will preventthe image of the address from causing screen burn due to userinactivity.

An additional technique employed to mitigate screen burn or screen agingeffects of the browser is to specify an “Idle timeout” such that if theuser does not interact with the browser for a specified period, thebrowser will present a dialog warning box to the user informing him/herthat if a browser command is not received in a short time period (30seconds) the browser will automatically close and return the user to TVviewing. After the specified time interval, the browser will terminate,close, and return the user to ‘normal’ (non-browser) TV viewing. Thespecification of “browser command” indicates that channel changes,volume changes, and “TV viewing” commands are different and distinctfrom browser commands. The method of entry into the browser dictates the“idle timeout” value. To wit: invocation of the browser from the menuwill use a shorter timeout than via the keyboard command to invoke thebrowser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a browser on a television display havingstatic icons according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is an embodiment of a browser on a television display having nostatic icons according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of a keyboard for use in theinvention, including special browser function keys.

FIG. 4 is an illustrative pop-up menu, which includes functionsconventionally provided by static icons, according to the principles ofthe invention when a button of a pointing device is pressed.

FIG. 5 is a schematic of an embodiment of an apparatus according to theinvention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a web browser according to the principlesof the invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional browser is illustrated as beingdisplayed on a high definition projection television display. Thebrowser has several static icons, including a vertical scroll bar 11,tool bars 12, 13, and 14, including a favorites pull down menu 15, closewindow 16, search 20, an address bar 18, and a title bar 19. The browseralso has a display area 17 for displaying a web page. Since the staticicons are displayed in one place while the browser is being used foraccessing web pages from the Internet, even though the pages changewhile the user browses, the icons do not, causing over time the icons tobecome burned to some degree in the television display.

FIG. 2 illustrates a browser embodiment according to the inventionwherein no static icons are displayed. Only the web page (which is notstatic unless the user chooses to view only the one page) appears on thedisplay. As used herein, a web page, and text and graphics included in aweb page are not considered static icons. If the user does not changethe web page, the system determines an idle condition and in order tosave the screen from burn, closes down the browser and toggles back tothe last television channel viewed before the browser was invoked. As analternative, a conventional screen saver can be invoked when the userdoes not change the web page for a pre-determined time.

Although the browser is illustrated with a television display, thebrowser can be used with other types of display such as a computermonitor or a LCD display on a handheld device.

FIG. 3 illustrates a keyboard embodiment wherein special function keysin addition to conventional keys are included as set forth in thefollowing table to implement functions conventionally provided by staticicons. The illustrated keyboard is a special keyboard for use with atelevision having an integrated browser. In the table, the first columnindicates the reference numerals in FIG. 3, the second column indicatesthe words on various keys in FIG. 3, the third column indicates thefunction of each key when the television is in browser mode, the fourthcolumn indicates the function of each key when the television is intelevision mode, and the last column indicates the function of each keywhen the television is in the browser mode with a video window. When thetelevision is in the browser mode with a video window, a portion of thetelevision screen is used for the browser and the remainder is used fortelevision signals. Reference Function During Numeral Function DuringFunction During Browser Mode With In Fig. 3 Key Browser Mode TelevisionMode Video Window VOLUME UP Ignore this keypress. Increases TV volume.Increases TV volume. Volume OSD is not displayed. VOLUME Ignore thiskeypress. Decreases TC volume. Decreases TV DOWN volume. Volume OSD isnot displayed. ON-OFF Turns off TV. Toggles TV power state. Turns offTV. MUTE Ignore this keypress. Mutes TV volume. If volume is not muted,pressing MUTE mutes the TV volume. if volume is muted, pressing MUTEunmutes TV volume. MUTE OSD is not displayed. 32 MENU Closes browser.Opens Toggles menu state. Closes browser. main menu. (Needed as Opensmain menu. an exit for when browser (Needed as an exit for is launchedfrom main when browser is menu) launched from main menu) INFO Doesnothing. Displays/Dismisses Does nothing. channel banner. 33 CLEAR Quitsthe browser. Clears OSDs. Quits the browser. INPUT Ignore this keypress.Shows next video input Ignore this source. keypress. ANTENNA Ignore thiskeypress. Toggles between Operates the same as Antenna A Input and whenbrowser is Antenna B input, closed. This button's complete behavior isspecified in the section labeled “section “Signal Source Selection(Input Seiection)”. (If video window has RF input in it, this key tunesto other RF input. If video window is blanked because user enteredbrowser from any video input, this key puts the last- viewed RF inputinto the video window. GO BACK Ignore this keypress. Goes to previouslytuned Operates the same as channel before the when browser is currentchannel. closed: Goes to the previous TV channel. This button's completebehavior is specified in the section labeled “section “Signal SourceSelection (input Selection)”. (If video window is blanked because userentered browser from any video input, this key is ignored.) CHANNEL UPIgnore this keypress. Goes to next channel in Operates the same aschannel list. when browser is closed: Goes to the next TV channel in thecurrent channel list. This button's complete behavior is specified inthe section labeled “section “Signal Source Selection (InputSeiection)”. (If video window is blanked because user entered browserfrom any video input, this key is ignored.) CHANNEL Ignore thiskeypress. Goes to previous channel Operates the same as DOWN in channellist, when browser is closed: Goes to the previous TV channel in thecurrent channel list. This button's complete behavior is specified inthe section labeled “section “Signal Source Selection (inputSelection)”. (If video window is blanked because user entered browserfrom any video input, this key is ignored.) WEB Closes browser. Opensbrowser. Goes to Closes browser. www.rca.com/Access/Sce nium/311 34 FAVHOME Goes to Opens browser. Goes to Goes to www.rca.com/Access/Scwww.rca.com/Access/Sce www.rca.com/Access/ enlum/311 unless nlum/311unless Scenium/311 unless otherwise programmed otherwise programmed byotherwise by user user programmed by user 35 FAV SEARCH Goes towww.msn.com Opens browser. Goes to Goes unless otherwise www.msn.comunless to www.msn.com programmed by user otherwise programmed by unlessotherwise user programmed by user 36 FAV1 Goes to Opens browser. Goes toGoes to www.rca.com/Access/Sc www.rca.com/Access/Sce www.rca.com/Access/enium/311 unless nium/311 unless Scenium/311 unless otherwise programmedotherwise programmed by otherwise by user user programmed by user 37FAV2 Goes to Opens browser. Goes to Goes to www.rca.com/Access/Scwww.rca.com/Access/Sce www.rca.com/Access/ enium/311 unless nium/311unless Scenium/311 unless otherwise programmed otherwise programmed byotherwise by user user programmed by user 38 FAV3 Goes to Opens browser.Goes to Goes to www.rca.com/Access/Sc www.rca.com/Access/Scewww.rca.com/Access/ enium/311 unless nium/311 unless Scenium/311 unlessotherwise programmed otherwise programmed by otherwise by user userprogrammed by user 39 FAV4 Goes to Opens browser. Goes to Goes towww.rca.com/Access/Sc www.rca.com/Access/Sce www.rca.com/Access/enium/311 unless nium/311 unless Scenium/311 unless otherwise programmedotherwise programmed by otherwise by user user programmed by user 40FAV5 Goes to Opens browser. Goes to Goes to www.rca.com/Access/Scwww.rca.com/Access/Sce www.rca.com/Access/ enium/311 unless nium/311unless Scenium/311 unless otherwise programmed otherwise programmed byotherwise by user user programmed by user 41 FAV6 Goes to Opens browser.Goes to Goes to www.rca.com/Access/Sc www.rca.com/Access/Scewww.rca.com/Access/ enium/311 unless nium/311 unless Scenium/311 unlessotherwise programmed otherwise programmed by otherwise 42 CLOSE Closesthe current No action occurs when Closes the current WINDOW browserwindow. Same browser is not open. browser window. function as CTRL + W.Same function as CTRL + W. 43 PREVIOUS Displays the previous No actionoccurs when Displays the previous WINDOW browser window, browser is notopen. browser window. 44 NEXT Displays the next No action occurs whenDisplays the next WINDOW browser window, browser is not open. browserwindow. 45 STOP Stops loading the No action occurs when Stops loadingthe current page. browser is not open. current page. 46 REFRESH Reloadsthe current No action occurs when Reloads the current page. browser isnot open. page. 47 BACK Goes to previous page No action occurs when Goesto previous (if one exists, otherwise browser is not open. page (If oneexists. nothing occurs). otherwise nothing occurs). 48 FORWARD Goes tonext page (if No action occurs when Goes to next page (If one exists,otherwise browser is not open. one exists, otherwise nothing occurs).nothing occurs. 49 ADDRESS Displays the Address No action occurs whenDisplays the Address Bar (i.e., the URL browser is not open. Bar (i.e.,the URL (“website”) entry bar). if (“website”) entry bar). list ofprevious URLs is if list of previous displayed, pressing URLs isdisplayed, ADDRESS again does pressIng ADDRESS not remove address bar,again does not remove address bar. 0-9 Enters digits into the Displaysbanner with Enters digits into the highlighted text/numeric channelentry field and highlighted entry field of the web first digitdisplayed. text/numeric entry page field of the web page CTRL CTRLfunction. No action occurs when CTRL function. browser is not open. FINDTEXT Displays the Find No action occurs when Displays the Find window,If the Find browser is not open. window, if the Find window is alreadywindow is already displayed, pressing displayed, pressing FIND TEXTbutton FIND TEXT button removes the Find removes the FInd window,window. TEXT SIZE Increases the text size No action occurs whenincreases the text to the next larger text browser is not open. size tothe next larger size. text size. TEXT SIZE + Decreases the text size Noaction occurs when Decreases the text CTRL to the next smaller textbrowser is not open. size to the next size. smaller text size. FORMATBrowser goes to Toggles Screen Format Browser goes to Full-Browser/Video Window options (Normal > Stretch Size Browser with Nomode. (Even if video > Zoom). Video Window mode. window is blanked (Evenif video window because user entered is blanked because browser from anyvideo user entered browser input, this key still from any video input,works.) this key still works.) 57/55/54/56 Up/Down/Left/ Moves web pageup, Moves highlight In the Moves web page up, Right down, left, or rightguide and menu and down, left, right. other OSDs (e.g.. during channelentry, RIGHT AND LEFT Arrows move highlight to between major and minorchannel fields). 58 (A) Alpha Enters characters into No action occurswhen Enters characters into characters (A-Z the highlighted browser isnot open. the highlighted etc.) text/numeric entry field text/numericentry of the web page. field of the web page. Fn, CtrI, Alt, No actionoccurs when Shift, CAPS browser is not open. Enter/OK Selects (i.e., itsnormal Acts same as OK button Selects (i.e., its function), on remote -selects a normal function). highlighted item in the guide, menu, orother OSD. 59 Tab TAB function No action occurs when TAB functionbrowser is not open.

The following table illustrates a mapping of certain browser functions,obtained by pointing to and clicking on icons in a conventional browserto keys on the special keyboard illustrated in FIG. 3. To do this Pressthis Move forward through the items on a Web page, the Address bar, TABand the Links bar. Move back through the items on a Web page, theAddress bar, and SHIFT+TAB the Links bar. Go to your Home page. ALT+HOMEGo to the next page. ALT+RIGHT ARROW Go to the previous page. ALT+LEFTARROW or BACKSPACE Scroll toward the beginning of a document. UP ARROWScroll toward the end of a document. DOWN ARROW Scroll toward thebeginning of a document in larger increments. PAGE UP Scroll toward theend of a document in larger increments. PAGE DOWN Move to the beginningof a document. HOME Move to the end of a document. END Find on thispage. CTRL+F Refresh the current Web page. CTRL+R Stop downloading apage. ESC Go to a new location. CTRL+O or CTRL+L Close the currentwindow. CTRL+W Activate a selected link. ENTER

In a preferred embodiment, each of the six FAV keys is programmable withfour favorites per key. One favorite is accessed by pressing the FAV keyalone; a second is accessed by pressing Control-FAV, the third bypressing ALT-FAV, and the fourth by pressing SHIFT-FAV. The FAV keys areprogrammable by holding down the FAV key, or a Control-FAV or ALT-FAVcombination for at least 4 seconds, after which a successful programmingof a key is indicated by a pop-up message on screen. Thereafter pressingthe FAV key or ALT-FAV or Control-FAV combination will send the user tothe corresponding saved URL. An advantage to this approach is that thewebsite favorites are directly and immediately available via thekeyboard. The user does not have to navigate the pointing device to astatic menu or toolbar and scroll through a list.

No status bars are necessary because the arrow keys and the PAGE UP andthe PAGE DOWN keys will let an user know whether he has come to the endof a direction. As an alternative, when a user presses one of the fourkeys—the arrow keys and the PAGE UP and the PAGE DOWN keys—thecorresponding status bar is displayed, and when a displayed status baris not used for a predetermined time, it is removed.

When the browser is closed and then reopened during the same TV viewingsession, the last viewed web page is accessed.

Although a special keyboard for use with a television having anintegrated browser is illustrated, a conventional keyboard used in apersonal computer (PC) can be used to perform the functionsconventionally provided by static icons as well. For example, the F1-F12keys can be used to perform the functions provided by FAV HOME, FAVSEARCH, FAV1-6, CLOSE WINDOW, PREVIOUS WINDOW, and NEXT WINDOW keys ofthe special keyboard, respectively. Similarly, the arrow keys and thePAGE UP and DOWN keys in a conventional keyboard can be used to performthe same functions as those keys in the special keyboard. Those keysrelated to functions (other than the display function) of a televisionsuch INPUT are not included in a conventional keyboard, but they are notneeded if the browser is used in a system that has no need to displaytelevision signals, for example, in a PC environment. Of course, in a PCenvironment, in addition to using a CRT or a LCD monitor, one certainlycan use a television as a display device but usually a PC is not used toreceive or display television signals.

The special keyboard shown in FIG. 3 also includes a pointing device,which includes a joystick 60 for moving a pointer, a left-clickselection button 61, and a right-click selection button 62. Thefunctions conventionally provided by static icons can also beimplemented by using the pointing device. For example, when a userpresses the right-click selection button 62 of the pointing device, apop-up menu 400 shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. The pop-up menu includesfunctions conventionally provided by static icons. After the user hasselected a function on the list by pressing the left-click selectionbutton 61, the selected function is conventionally performed and thepop-up menu is removed. The pointing device can be external to akeyboard and can be of any types such as a mouse.

Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary video apparatus 100 suitable forimplementing the present invention is shown. For purposes of example andexplanation, apparatus 100 represents an exemplary portion of atelevision signal receiver embodied as a projection screen television.However, it will be intuitive to those skilled in the art thatprinciples of the present invention may be applied to other apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 5, apparatus 100 comprises an audio/video input/output(AV IO) block 101, a front audio/video (FAV) connector 102, a digitalprocessing block 103, a front panel assembly (FPA) 104, an infrared (IR)preamp 105, an audio block 106, a power supply 107, a subwooferamp/power supply 108, a subwoofer 109, a deflection block 110, aconvergence block 111, CRTs 112 to 114, and yokes 115 to 117. Theforegoing elements of FIG. 5 are operatively coupled as indicated by thedata lines shown in FIG. 5. As will be intuitive to those skilled in theart, many of the elements represented in FIG. 5 may be embodied usingintegrated circuits (ICs).

AV IO block 101 is operative to receive and process audio and/or videoinputs, and to output processed audio and/or video signals to otherelements of apparatus 100, as indicated in FIG. 5. According to anexemplary embodiment, AV IO block 101 receives audio and/or video inputsfrom an external source (e.g., via satellite, terrestrial, cable,Internet, etc.) and also receives processed audio inputs from audioblock 106. According to this exemplary embodiment, AV IO block 101processes these inputs and outputs composite video signals and all audiosignals to digital processing block 103 for additional processing, whileoutputting component video signals (e.g., 2H, 2.14H, Y, Pr, Pb videoinformation) to deflection block 110. AV IO block 101 is also operativeto provide audio and/or video outputs to a recording device (not shown)for recording. FAV connector 102 is operative to provide audio and/orvideo inputs to AV IO block 101.

Digital processing block 103 is operative to perform various digitalfunctions of apparatus 100, such as tuning, demodulation, signaldecompression, memory and other functions and, in the case of thepresent invention, includes the operating system for the browser and thebrowser commands from the keyboard. Digital processing block 103 outputsprocessed video signals to deflection block 110 which enable a visualdisplay of either television or browser, and may also provide processedvideo signals to AV IO block 101 for output to a recording device (notshown). As will be explained later herein, digital processing block 103is also operative to enable various user-activated display functions ofapparatus 100, such as a video sizing function, a program guidefunction, a browser function, a picture-in-picture (PIP) function, orother display function. Digital processing block 103 is operative todisplay a browser with no static icons and to record favorite entries inthe manner described herein.

FPA 104 is an interface operative to receive user inputs, such as via anIR hand-held remote control, keyboard, a pointing device, or other inputdevice, and to output signals corresponding to the user inputs to IRpreamp 105. IR preamp 105 is operative to amplify the signals providedfrom FPA 104 for output to digital processing block 103.

Audio block 106 is operative to perform various audio processingfunctions, and to output processed audio signals.

Power supply 107 is operative to receive an input alternating currentpower signal (AC-IN), and to output voltage signals which power thevarious elements of apparatus 100, as indicated in FIG. 5.

Deflection block 110 is operative to control deflection functions ofapparatus 100. According to an exemplary embodiment, deflection block110 outputs deflection control signals to yokes 115 to 117, whichcontrol horizontal and vertical deflection of the high-intensity beamsgenerated by CRTs 112 to 114, respectively. Deflection block 110 is alsooperative to output color control signals to CRTs 112 to 114 responsiveto the processed video signals and other control signals provided fromdigital processing block 103. Also according to an exemplary embodiment,deflection block 110 is operative to output voltage signals toconvergence block 111 and CRTs 112 to 114 for their power supplies.

Convergence block 111 is operative to control convergence functions ofapparatus 100. According to an exemplary embodiment, convergence block111 outputs convergence control signals to yokes 115 to 117, asindicated in FIG. 4, which control a positive convergence adjustment forprecisely focusing the high-intensity beams emitted from CRTs 112 to 114on a screen (not shown).

CRTs 112 to 114 are operative to generate high-intensity red, green andblue beams, respectively, for display on a screen responsive to thecolor control signals from deflection block 110. Yokes 115 to 117 areoperative to control CRTs 112 to 114, respectively, responsive to thedeflection control signals from deflection block 110 and the convergencecontrol signals from convergence block 111.

Referring to FIG. 6, a web browser 600 according to the principles ofthe invention is illustrated. The browser 600 includes a displayinterface module 610 for displaying a web page without static icons, akeyboard interface module 620 for receiving keypress signals from akeyboard, and pointer interface 630 for receiving signals from apointing device. These modules can be implemented as software executableby a microprocessor such as the digital processing unit 103 shown inFIG. 5, or ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). The keyboardinterface module 620 receives keypress signals and performs associatedfunctions as illustrated above, so that no static icons are needed.Similarly, the pointer interface module 630 receives signals from apointing device and performs functions as illustrated above so thatstatic icons are not needed.

While the invention and the best mode known to the inventors forcarrying it out has been described herein in sufficient detail forothers skilled in this art to understand it and to make and use it,various alternatives, modifications, and improvements should becomereadily apparent without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

1. A web browser for preventing screen burn, comprising: a displayinterface module for displaying a web page; a keyboard interface modulefor receiving key press signals from a keyboard; and a pointer interfacefor receiving pointer signals from a pointing device, wherein when theweb browser is invoked, no static icons are displayed.
 2. The webbrowser of claim 1 wherein the static icons provide interfaces for thefollowing functions: favorites, home, back, forward, stop, refresh,close browser, search, address bar, and text size.
 3. The web browser ofclaim 2 wherein each of the functions is mapped to a corresponding keyin the keyboard.
 4. The web browser of claim 2 wherein each of thefunctions is listed in a pop-up menu when a button on the pointingdevice is pressed.
 5. A television apparatus having the web browser ofclaim 1, the television apparatus comprising a display, means forreceiving television signals, means for accessing the Internet, thekeyboard, and means to invoke the browser on the display.
 6. Thetelevision apparatus of claim 5 having projection means wherein eithertelevision video or the browser is displayed on a projection screen. 7.The television apparatus of claim 5 further including means to close thebrowser and display television after a predetermined idle timeoutinterval.
 8. The television apparatus of claim 5 wherein the means foraccessing the Internet comprises a cable connection, DSL connection, ormodem.
 9. The television apparatus of claim 5 further comprising meansto map browser functions to keyboard keys.
 10. The television apparatusof claim 9 wherein the keyboard keys to browser function mappingcomprises mapping one or more of: favorites to favorite keys, backfunction to a back key, forward function to a forward key, open functionto an open key, close browser function to a clear key, close windowfunction to a close window key, search function to a search key,previous window to a previous window key, next window to a next windowkey, display address bar function to an address key, find text to a findtext key, text size increase to a text size increase key, up function toan up key, down to a down key, right to a right key, left to a left key.11. The television apparatus of claim 5 having means to map favorite webpages to favorite keys upon pressing a favorite key on the keyboardwherein after the mapping of the favorite web page to the favorite key,upon subsequent pressing of the mapped favorite key, the mapped favoriteweb page is opened.
 12. The television apparatus of claim 5 furtherincluding the pointing device.
 13. A method of avoiding screen burn on adisplay screen of a television apparatus which includes a browserfunction comprising displaying a browser having no static icons on thedisplay screen and assigning mapping browser functions to the specialfunction keys on the keyboard.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein thetelevision apparatus is a projection television.
 15. The method of claim13 wherein the browser functions mapped to special function keyscomprise one or more of: favorites to favorite keys, back function to aback key, forward function to a forward key, open function to an openkey, close browser function to a clear key, close window function to aclose window key, search function to a search key, previous window to aprevious window key, next window to a next window key, display addressbar function to an address key, find text to a find text key, text sizeincrease to a text size increase key, up function to an up key, down toa down key, right to a right key, left to a left key.
 16. The method ofclaim 13 further including bookmarking a favorite web page uponreceiving a favorite key press signal, while the web page is beingdisplayed, from the keyboard for a time, which exceeds a predeterminedtime threshold.
 17. The method of claim 16 comprising providing aplurality of programmable favorite keys on the keyboard and assigning aplurality of favorites to each favorite key which are selectable withcombinations of the favorite key with shift, control, function, and/oralt keys.
 18. The method of claim 13 further comprising automaticallyclosing the browser and invoking television display upon elapse of apredetermined idle timeout interval.
 19. The method of claim 13 whereinthe browser is displayed as a graphical user interface on the displayscreen.